What We Saw: Week 6

The QB List staff catches you up on everything you missed during Week 6 of the 2020 NFL season.

Ben Brown
What We Saw 4 Years Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Broncos @ Patriots
Browns @ Steelers
Falcons @ Vikings
Lions @ Jaguars
Bears @ Panthers
Texans @ Titans
Ravens @ Eagles
Bengals @ Colts
Washington @ Giants
Packers @ Buccaneers
Jets @ Dolphins
Rams @ 49ers
Chiefs @ Bills
Cardinals @ Cowboys

Texans @ Titans

 

This was one of my favorite games of the young season so far. The Houston Texans have looked much improved since firing Bill O’Brian through two games, even if they lost this game in overtime. Going for the two-point conversion was a risky call that I agreed with but in the end would bite them in the butt. The Tennessee Titans stormed through overtime (thanks to Derrick Henry) and were able to pull out the victory. Both teams looked great offensively while defensively…. not so much. The duo of Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry also became the first pair in NFL history to have someone throw for more than 350 yards and someone rush for 200 yards. They’re pretty good! Tennessee won this one 42-36.

 

Houston Texans

Quarterback

 

Deshaun Watson: 28/37, 335 yards, 4 TD | 4 carries, 26 yards

 

Gee, I guess Bill O’Brien really WAS holding back the offense and Deshaun Watson (who would have guessed?). He looked like the top 6 QB he was drafted as, connecting with four different receivers for touchdowns. It felt like he was getting the ball out quicker than in previous weeks, as he was getting pressured by the Tennessee Titans D-line and was only sacked once. They trailed until the 3rd quarter and along with it being a back and forth game, Watson was given the reigns to throw. He was close to a running touchdown as well, getting down within a couple of feet of the end-zone late in the 4th. He’s an easy start against the Packers next week, so keep rollin’ with Watson.

 

Running Backs

 

David Johnson: 19 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD | 2 targets, 1 reception, 12 yards

Duke Johnson: 4 carries, 9 yards | 2 targets, 1 reception, 2 yards

 

Mediocrity continues for the Houston Texans backfield. David Johnson is clearly the lead back and with all the work he’s getting, he looks like a mid RB2 every week. I only really noticed two runs I thought were decent, with one him going wide-right for 10 yards and another middle-left for 11. He would end up getting some red-zone work converting on one but it wasn’t pretty.

 

 

This was after the Texans tried to give Brandon Cooks the first attempt and he couldn’t get it in, however. The next drive, after the fumble by the Tennessee Titans, they gave Johnson the chance within 10 yards again in which he was promptly stuffed. He was only targeted twice in this game, which hopefully won’t be a trend, as he’s been 3-4 targets every-other game. As it stands he’s on pace for 36 catches and if he’s not going to get the targets, his PPR value is going to disappoint. Duke Johnson is stuck in backup limbo, as he wasn’t on often and six total touches on 27% of snaps.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

Will Fuller: 11 targets, 6 receptions, 123 yards, 1 TD

Brandon Cooks: 9 targets, 9 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD

Randall Cobb: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 17 yards, 1 TD

Darren Fells: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 85 yards, 1 TD

 

Will Fuller is proving himself to be the WR1 for the Houston Texans and honestly, just in general for fantasy. He was getting short and deep passes, using his speed to break off runs and get open. His longggggg touchdown would help tie the game (and not the lead after the failed two-point conversion) that was half his speed, half cornerback Malcolm Butler taking his eyes off him.

 

 

Brandon Cooks only had two catches after the first three quarters. He came alive in the 4th though, catching his touchdown late and helping give the Texans the lead.

 

 

Randall Cobb didn’t see much work but had a nice touchdown catch, dragging his feet to ensure it would count.

 

 

Darren Fells continues to see a steady workload with Jordan Akins out. Akins had been running a ton of routes before his injury and Fells has been the beneficiary, being one of Deshaun Watson‘s favorite targets. He had plenty of big gains, was wide open often and caught the 1-yard touchdown to really solidify his night as one of the best tight end streams. With that being said, Akins should be back soon and I don’t love Fells going forward.

 

 

Tennessee Titans

 

Quarterback

 

Ryan Tannehill: 30/41, 364 yards, 4 TD’s, 1 INT

 

Overall a very, very good game from Ryan Tannehill. It’s getting harder and harder to doubt him, as this is two games in a row with 30+ points. When the Tennessee Titans have to throw, Tannehill will be a good fantasy start. As usual, the Titans relied heavily on play-action and used it to their advantage all night. He was sacked once for a fumble but to be completely honest it wasn’t completely his fault. Left-tackle Taylor Lewan had to leave the game after coming up gingerly and the Houston Texans took advantage. They moved some tackles around and put J.J. Watt against the tackle that came in to replace Lewan. Watt, thanks to being a massive and strong human being, would take advantage by strip-sacking Tannehill.

 

 

This would be recovered by the Texans and would lead to a touchdown, taking their first lead of the game. The one play you can totally blame on Tannehill was his interception mid-way through the 4th. He would throw a deep pass intended for rookie Kalif Raymond but threw it poorly. It ended up going opposite direction of where Raymond was going and would force him to push into the defender, easily getting picked off. You aren’t going to complain too much about four touchdowns and 364 yards however.

 

Running Backs

 

 

Derrick Henry: 22 carries, 212 yards, 2 TDs | 5 targets, 2 receptions, 52 yards

Jeremy McNichols: 5 carries, 51 yards | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 11 yards

 

This was the Derrick Henry show we’ve come to expect from him. He was all over the 20th ranked run-defense (according to PFF), breaking tackles all night long and going off for long runs, including an endzone to endzone 94-yard touchdown run.

 

 

His game-winning touchdown was on an interesting playcall, having the ball snapped right to him before he ran it in with Ryan Tannehill out-wide.

 

 

He was even heavily used in the passing game, although you might worry about only two receptions from five targets. Fear not, as all three incompletions weren’t his fault. The first one was a quick dump-off throw by Tannehill, throwing the football before Henry could get set so he wouldn’t get sacked. The second one was tipped by J.J. Watt away from anyone. The third one was a risky throw from Tannehill, tossing the ball short-right that defender Tyrell Adams got an arm into and could have been picked off if Adams noticed earlier. He made the two receptions he did catch count, the biggest one his 53-yard catch in overtime that would set up the Tennessee Titans for the big win. Jeremy McNichols even took advantage of the matchup, having a long 20-yard run and a nice run in overtime. He’s a great handcuff until Darrynton Evans gets off the IR.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

 

A.J. Brown: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 56 yards, 2 TDs

Adam Humphries: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 64 yards, 1 TD

Kalif Raymond: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards

Jonnu Smith: 2 targets, 1 reception, 13 yards

Anthony Firkser: 9 targets, 8 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD

 

I hope you all bought-low on A.J. Brown. Easily the best receiving option for the Tennessee Titans, his first touchdown Ryan Tannehill had all the time in the world and found Brown running a dig route, who was being covered super poorly.

 

 

His second touchdown saved the perfect record for the Titans, catching the touchdown with 4 sceonds left in the game. His left-foot just BARELY got down to tie the game and send the game to overtime.

 

 

Adam Humphries had the 2nd most snaps of the Titans wide-receivers, getting a deep pass from Tannehill to make the 22 yard touchdown.

 

 

He’s going to be a PPR flex option as long as Corey Davis is out. Kalif Raymond exploded for 113 yards in Week 3 but wasn’t able to take advantage of both Humphries and Davis being out last week. This week he was relatively quiet and only on for 28% of the snaps, essentially the 5th target in the offense.

The Titans tight end situation might be interesting going forward. Jonnu Smith was relatively quiet before leaving in the 3rd quarter with an ankle injury. Anthony Fisker, on the other hand, was Tannehill’s most-targeted player of the night. He had a career-best game, with his touchdown coming in the 1st quarter while Smith was in the game. This is two games in a row now with five or more targets and could enter the discussion of a top tight end if Smith were to miss time.

 

— Jamie Sayer (@JamieSayerPL on Twitter)

Series Navigation
Introduction
Broncos @ Patriots
Browns @ Steelers
Falcons @ Vikings
Lions @ Jaguars
Bears @ Panthers
Texans @ Titans
Ravens @ Eagles
Bengals @ Colts
Washington @ Giants
Packers @ Buccaneers
Jets @ Dolphins
Rams @ 49ers
Chiefs @ Bills
Cardinals @ Cowboys

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